Oh My Buddha!
Wednesday, 29 December 2004
We just arrived in luang Prabang after spending two days floating down the Mekong, first on a cargo boat with wooden pews and then on more passengery type one. The river is completely brown, the colour of the watery hot chocolate you get around here. While we were on it it was smooth and reflective, with big bits of rock sticking out into it like dinousaurs having a mud bath. On the edges is just jungle and occaisionally a few cattle around the muddy bank having a drink or a few people around a hut waiting to load more stuff onto the boat.
Loas is really calm, just hanging around here is like meditating and having your brain washed.
There's a lot of crumbling French granduer in Luang Prabang, today we saw a couple of boys playing boules next to a lake which was full of pink water lillies. We walked up the hill in the middle of the city to see buddha's footprint and the couple of Wats that were up there, a lot of old war relics remain around there there's an anti aircraft gun made into a kind of seesaw and a lot of old missile's used as plant pots. We found a few monks puting in a light bulb and directing a man to cut branches off a tree. I got chatting to one of the monks who was called Ling and he explained the mystery of the little bits of white paper to me: At the front of buddhist alters alongside the candles and incense there is often a selection of little bits of white paper and some sticks in a cup. What you have to do is pick one of the sticks which has a number on it, then you get the piece of paper corresponding to the number and it tells you what Buddha has to say to you and tells your fortune. Mine was number 22 and Ling gave me a translation of what it said. Apparently, I am going to have good luck. I will be honest and gain merits. I will have a son and a girl and they will look after me when I'm old, if I want something I will get it and if I get sick I will get better. My enemies are going to be my friends. Also I am going to be a millionaire! (I reckon I already am a kip millionaire - 10,000 kip is around $1 US).
So I dedicate this entry to Buddha - Thank you Buddha.
P.S. Dan promises to send personal emails to people who send him one telling what they did for christmas! He really wants to know. So do I.
On December 31, 2004, teech said:
Hi C@D, Glad you're safe and somewhat well.Didn't get to L.P. when you were but a twinkle in the eye as the stupid Yanks decided to quit Vietnam that day in April and the borders were closed! Love to you both and to the marvellous peoples of that whole region.D@P.
On January 03, 2005, teech said:
Your dad said my last message was nonsensical! I said you would figure it out . However (uncle Mick style ) here is a rough translation: : in 1975 me and our lass were hitch-hiking through S.E. Asia .In April (before you were born ) we were literally heading for the Thai /Laos border when we received the news that the American embassy in Saigon was being stormed by the N.V.A/V.C. and for security reasons (panic) borders in the region were closed which meant that we couldn't get to Luang Prabang (L.P.)BUT we loved the peoples of the region . There ! You seem to be having a wonderful experience . Enjoy it . It will never leave you. Happy New Year et Bon voyage ! xxx D@PTeetch
On January 04, 2005, Catherine said:
Of course I understood it! Laos has some interesting communist stylings now. Including a kind of Marxist Budhism - write me and tell me more about the revolution.